United States Department of Agriculture Lucky Peak Forest Service Greenhouse Technology & Development Program Top Pruner 2400-Reforestation September 2010 User’s Guide 1024–2823P–MTDC Lucky Peak Greenhouse Top Pruner User’s Guide Keith Windell Project Leader, MTDC USDA Forest Service Technology and Development Program Missoula, MT 5E52E99 Greenhouse Crop Mower September 2010 The Forest Service, United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), has developed this information for the guidance of its employees, its contractors, and its cooperating Federal and State agencies and is not responsible for the interpretation or use of this information by anyone except its own employees. The use of trade, firm, or corporation names in this document is for the information and convenience of the reader and does not constitute an endorsement by the Department of any product or service to the exclusion of others that may be suitable. 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USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer. i Contents Introduciton _____________________________________________________________________________ 1 Assembly Instructions _____________________________________________________________________ 2 Assembling the Rails ____________________________________________________________________________ 2 Assembling the Jack Stands ______________________________________________________________________ 2 Attaching the Rails to the Jack Stand Assemblies ____________________________________________________ 3 Attaching the Center Rail Uprights ________________________________________________________________ 3 Installing the Capstan Drive ______________________________________________________________________ 4 Installing the Overhead Trolley Cable Supports ______________________________________________________ 4 Placing the Cutter/Reel Assembly on the Rails _______________________________________________________ 5 Attaching the Master Control Panel ________________________________________________________________ 5 Installing the Trolley System and Electrical Wires ____________________________________________________ 6 Installing the Capstan Cable ______________________________________________________________________ 8 Attaching the Debris Collection Bin ________________________________________________________________ 9 Connecting the Voltage Transformer Box __________________________________________________________ 10 The Fully Assembled Top Pruner _________________________________________________________________ 10 Operating Instructions ____________________________________________________________________ 11 Precautions ___________________________________________________________________________________ 11 Adjusting the Height of the Top Pruner ____________________________________________________________ 11 On/Off and Kill Switches ________________________________________________________________________ 11 Controlling the Reel Speed ______________________________________________________________________ 11 Controlling the Cutter Speed ____________________________________________________________________ 12 Controlling the Cutter/Reel Assembly’s Travel Speed ________________________________________________ 12 Emptying the Debris Collection Bin _______________________________________________________________ 13 Maintenance Instructions __________________________________________________________________ 14 Precautions ___________________________________________________________________________________ 14 Lubricating the Cutter __________________________________________________________________________ 14 Adjusting and Replacing the Reel’s Paddles ________________________________________________________ 14 Adjusting the Capstan Cable Tension _____________________________________________________________ 14 Replacing the Voltage Transformer’s Brushes _______________________________________________________ 14 Parts List—Major Electrical Items __________________________________________________________ 15 Vendor Information ______________________________________________________________________ 15 ii Introduction his user’s guide describes a top pruner (figure 1) the Missoula Technology and Development Center Tdeveloped for the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service’s Lucky Peak Nursery in Boise, ID. Trees such as western larch grow tall in the greenhouse before they are ready to be planted. Top pruning (cutting the tops off of plants) controls shoot height, ensures that all trees are about the same size, decreases shoot-to-root ratio (important because the tree has to have enough root to provide water for the leaves and stems), increases stem diameter, and makes it easier to handle seedlings during transplant- ing and outplanting. Rail assembly Cutter/ Jack stand reel assembly assembly Master control panel Voltage converter Figure 1—Key components of the top pruner. 1 Assembly Instructions Assembling the Rails The top pruner is modular for ease of transport. The Jack stands cutter/reel assembly travels on two 8-foot, 6-inch-long 6061-T6 aluminum rail sections (figure 2) separated by a 4-foot, 6-inch center section. The sections are connected by side plates. Jack stand crossbar Plastic insert Rail section Figure 3a—A jack stand assembly (two jack stands and a jack stand Rail crossbar). section Side plate Top plates Figure 2—Connecting the rail sections. A plastic insert is installed in the ends of the rail sections so the rectangular tubing will not be crushed when the spliced joint is bolted together with ¼-inch nuts, bolts, and washers. The bolts fit tight in the bolt holes. Use a rubber or plastic mallet and a long tapered or pin punch when removing and installing bolts to reduce the chance of damaging the bolt’s threads. Tighten nuts to 40 inch-pounds. Do not overtighten the nuts or you may crush the aluminum tube, making it difficult to disassemble the rail system. Assembling the Jack Stands Lay out two jack stands at each end of the assembled rails (total of four jack stands). Attach the jack stand crossbar using 9/16-inch nuts, bolts, and washers (figure 3a). Attach two top plates to each jack stand. Use ¼-inch nuts, bolts, and washers (figure 3b). Figure 3b—Top plates attached to the top of a jack stand. 2 Assembly Instructions Attaching the Rails to the Jack Stand Assemblies Once the rails and the jack stands are assembled, each end of the rails must be attached to the top of a jack stand assembly. The jack stand assembly with the center kill switch (figure 4a) attaches to the ends of the rails with the adjust- ment slots. Get the jack stand assemblies in about the correct position and stabilized so they don’t move. Lock the caster wheels! Lift each rail assembly and place it between the jack stand assembly’s top plates (see figure 4a). Install ¼-inch nuts, bolts, and washers. Ensure that each bolt is routed through the plastic insert so the rectangular aluminum tubing Figure 4b—Both jack stand assemblies are attached to the rails. will not be crushed when the nuts are tightened. Use a long tapered or pin punch to help align the holes. Install the second jack stand assembly on the other end of the rails (figure 4b). Attaching the Center Rail Uprights Attach the center rail uprights as shown in figures 5a Rail and 5b with ¼-inch nuts, bolts, and washers. The “Authorized stop Personnel Only” sign must be installed on the inside of the center rail upright beside the overhead trolley system. The sign helps keep the trolley cars from snagging on the uprights. If the rail stops (see figure 4a) haven’t already been Kill switch installed, install them now. Both stops are installed on the (on backside rail assembly that has the sign. of jack stand crossbar) Center rail upright Rail Center stop rail Figure 4a—Attach the rails to the jack stands after locking the caster Figure 5a—Attach the uprights for the center crosspieces. wheels. 3 Assembly Instructions Top crossbar Adjustment slot Figure 5b—Attach the top crossbar for the center rail uprights. Figure 6b—The idler pulley for the capstan drive. Installing the Capstan Drive Installing the Overhead Trolley Install the capstan drive assembly as pictured (figure 6a); Cable Supports install the idler pulley on the opposite end, which has the Install the trolley cable’s vertical anchor on the end of adjustment slot (figure 6b). Use ¼-inch nuts, bolts, and the rail that has the adjustment slot (figure 7a). Plastic inserts washers. Be sure to install plastic inserts in the aluminum tubing so the tubing won’t be crushed when the nuts are tightened. Vertical anchor Extra washers for Figure 6a—The capstan drive assembly. clearance Adjustment slot Figure 7a—The trolley cable